Children don't usually bother me. I was one, a long time ago , and I try to understand them. The younger children are usually in the ship's kiddie program and when a "band of roaming teens" is in my way, I just say "Grandma, coming through", and they move!

The only time a child has been a PITA was on a cruise where Mom thought her little darling (6 years old) was too good to join the other kiddies (she told us that!). We were at a certain bar and they always showed up with the child, sat him at the bar (come on, crew!) and showed him off!

When the other kids came through doing something fun, he wanted to join them, but Mom wouldn't let him . Yes, I realize there might have been an underlying problem, but I never saw any sign of it. I just think he was spoiled... . I really felt sorry for him (and his father).

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Fern
"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour."

We'd be grump free if the parents took more responsibility keeping their little darlings under control. So many kids are not taught etiquette now days. Why must we stay out of a pool while the kids scream and do belly flops? Why must they scream and whine? Why must they run everywhere? They may be the future, if so, what are we in for?

Yes, only because the pool attendants don't enforce the adult pool policy and the hottubs are kept at a lower temp than should be because pax allow their kids to use it unsupervised. Otherwise I have no problem w/kids onboard.

Yes, only because the pool attendants don't enforce the adult pool policy and the hottubs are kept at a lower temp than should be because pax allow their kids to use it unsupervised. Otherwise I have no problem w/kids onboard.

Exactly the reason I would too!

But the key words here are "kids use it unsupervised" It's not so much the idea of not wanting to be around kids as it is not wanting to be around the unsupervised brats that are allowed to run wild. :???: Yes I do have children and I took them cruising with me when they were little, they were supervised and not allowed to be a PINTA to anyone else onboard.

P&O UK have two child free ships Oriana & Arcadia not sure about Adonia the "new" small one. We have cruised on Arcadia several times & whilst we don't mind children ourselves, the downside in our experience was that the average age of the passengers was very high, if you took out the very few 30somethings the age was about 70+ a forest of sticks & walking aids, ship dead after about 11pm/Midnight.

I don't have a problem with kids being on a cruise ship, as long as they have some adult supervision and can behave themselves. While there are those occasions when you see someone's kid being a holy terror and you just want to toss him/her overboard, it's fun to watch kids laughing and having a good time, just like we grown-ups like to do. It's too bad that some people have forgotten what it's like to be a kid and how to enjoy life, when you didn't have to work 40 hours a week,pay bills,and be a responsible adult. THOSE were the good old days! However, with that being said, we'll probably never book a cruise again during Spring Break. We did that once, and the ship we were on seemed to be overrun with kids.

P&O UK have two child free ships Oriana & Arcadia not sure about Adonia the "new" small one. We have cruised on Arcadia several times & whilst we don't mind children ourselves, the downside in our experience was that the average age of the passengers was very high, if you took out the very few 30somethings the age was about 70+ a forest of sticks & walking aids, ship dead after about 11pm/Midnight.

I don't think there will be many if any kids on this one, she is very small like a country club

We cruise with our young kids. I don't think they have ever been a bother to anyone.

Whether we've cruised with or without our kids ....I've never been bothered by anyone elses kids.

It's fun to live life through the eyes of a child. It's a sad day when you stop taking pleasure in that.

I'm not judging anyone .... i just don't get why people get bothered by children. I understand that everyone has the right to enjoy their holiday, and if children would imact your ability to do so .... then it makes sense that people would want a child-free holiday.

I wouldn't go out of my way to book an "adults only" cruise. I'm more concerned with cost and itinerary and a particular cruise line. The only time we were ever really bothered by children was a 3 nighter to the Bahamas during spring break- very bad planning on my part! We were all kids once, just as we'll all be old one day-live and let live I say. There really aren't many bad kids out there-just irresponsible,overly indulgent parents.

I voted adults only; not that I don't like kids but some can be so unruly while "some" parents do nothing. If I acted like some of these precious children on a cruise, my butt would be red for weeks!

Ditto. The sad part is it's not the child's fault he/she has not been taught manners, to be patient. Way too many parents overindulge these days. The child has no clue that they are not the center of the universe. When these kids go into action, I shake my head and say "well, we know who's the boss in that house"
That's what has made people feel the way we do.

Yes, only because the pool attendants don't enforce the adult pool policy and the hottubs are kept at a lower temp than should be because pax allow their kids to use it unsupervised. Otherwise I have no problem w/kids onboard.

O.F.C'er

Sadly, on every ship I have managed (25), the staff around the adult pool (NOT pool attendants) don't enforce the policy because the parents make up all kinds of stories and try to get them fired for their efforts. They are no longer willing to risk their careers to enforce a rule.
By the way, "Pool Attendants" do not exist on cruise ships. US Law says that if there is any employee officially connected to a swimming pool, he is in effect a lifeguard. If anyone drowns, the cruise line is legally responsible. If there is no employee officially assigned to a swimming pool (and there is a swim at your own risk sign) the cruise line has no legal responsibility if you drown. In America today it is more logical and less risky to let you drown on your own rather than try to save your life.

The hot tubs are NOT kept at a lower temperature due to unsupervised children. This is a new directive for all ships, from the US Public Health Service. All hot tubs must have lower temperatures, regardless of the age of the users.

Ditto here. If Celebrity or Princess sailed out of Port Canaveral I would not take Carnival first, even though my first cruise is in October. My second cruise will start the day prior to Mother's Day, so again kids will be in school. For both cruises, I will eat supper late. (That is 8:15 on both ships.) So I am doing my best to avoid kids and hoping little ones (babies and toddlers) are retiring for the night when I go to the MDR.

When I read Oceania has kid-free cruises and does not want a lot of kids on the others either I thought that cruise line is definitely for me.(It also has the best smoking policy.) What could be better than kid-free and smoke-free?

Then I read passengers are only allowed to eat at the Italian specialty restaurant twice. I would want to eat there every night instead of the MDR! I can't sail on a ship with a nice Italian restaurant and only be allowed to eat there twice the entire cruise.

We cruise with our young kids. I don't think they have ever been a bother to anyone.

Whether we've cruised with or without our kids ....I've never been bothered by anyone elses kids.

It's fun to live life through the eyes of a child. It's a sad day when you stop taking pleasure in that.

I'm not judging anyone. I just don't get why people get bothered by children. I understand that everyone has the right to enjoy their holiday, and if children would impact your ability to do so, then it makes sense that people would want a child-free holiday.

I can only speak for myself, but this is why having kids onboard bothers me:

1. Even if the kids are "supervised," their parents let them do what they want to do.2. Often kids get fussy when their parents make them do something they don't want to.3. Many moms let their kids cry and do nothing about it when a little one is fussy.4. I am mentally unable to block out talking kids and pay attention to the other adults.

If all this crap can happen on land, it can happen on a cruise ship too.